


One Of Us

by thenukacolagirl



Category: Choices (Visual Novels), Open Heart (Visual Novels), Playchoices (Visual Novels)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Childhood Friends, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Inspired by Mamma Mia! (Movies), Kissing, Mamma Mia AU, Past Abuse, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Past Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:14:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23363782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenukacolagirl/pseuds/thenukacolagirl
Summary: When Bianca travels back to her childhood island home of Kalokairi for her sister's wedding, she finds more than she's bargaining for when a family secret is reveled and an old face from her past returns
Relationships: Ethan Ramsey/Main Character (Open Heart), Ethan Ramsey/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 17





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is such a super self indulgent fic and has no purpose other then I just really love Mamma Mia, ABBA and Open Heart

It’s not even noon yet and the day is off to a horrible, horrible, start in every way imaginable. Bianca had been to weddings, hell she spent her teenage years working in the wedding industry, and this was by far the worst she’d ever had the not so great pleasure to be involved in. The cherry on top being; this was her sister Sienna’s own wedding.

Maybe the cataclysmic piece de resistance here was the pleading phone call she’d gotten only a few days ago. And she remembers the exact moment that everything went to shit.

* * *

_She was in her London flat, fresh off from her eighteen hour shift at the hospital and drinking whisky in her bathtub alone. When Sienna’s name popped up on the caller ID, the overwhelming sense of fear followed by dread and panic set in. She was well aware Sienna was getting married soon, out on their childhood island home at the very hotel they’d grown up together. Her first immediate thought was Sienna had been dumped, or worse, was backing out of her own wedding._

_“Thank god you answered!”It was the first thing Sienna told her over the phone, not a moment after she picked up._

_“Sienna, please tell me everything's okay. You’re not some kidnapped bride like that girl out of Manie or-”_

_“No! No, no Bianca I’m safe I promise! But I... I really just need you here, like now. It’s about the wedding and the hotel,” Sienna had explained in a frantic tone. On the other end, there were sounds of people yelling and glass getting shattered. It made her wince at the thought of what could be going on._

_“Sienna what’s happening over there? Is Ines okay? Are you okay? What’s wrong with the wedding? Danny didn’t, ya know, back out on you did he? If he did I swear to god I’m gonna fucking murder him and-”_

_“Jesus Bianca, no! It’s not that either! Danny and I are fine, great actually! But…” When Bianca heard Sienna’s voice crack, there was no going back, responsibilities and rebooking flights be damned. Her sister crying was the worst sound in the world and seeing her cry was worse than puppies being kicked._

_“The wedding planner Danny and I hired, she just bailed on us! She canceled everything and now we don’t know what to do! I’ve called Zachary and Johnathan already and they’re coming here but… oh Bee, it's a whole mess and right now, I really, really just need my sister here, the whole family. Can you please come early? You’ve always been the one who mom sent out to yell at others and get things done. I don’t want to tell her what happened, she already has too much on her plate with just fixing the hotel up.”_

_Bianca downed her whisky like it was a shot of water, the burn from it matched the pure anger in her chest. She slammed the whiskey glass down hard against the ceramic tub that she could hear Sienna flinch. “Stop talking, first off. I’ll be there soon, okay? Just don’t tell mom-- I mean Ines-- until I get there. Have her yell at me over you.”_

_A joyful sob had left Sienna at that point, Bianca assumed she was smiling like the biggest idiot on the other end. She allowed her to cry for a good while before Sienna found her voice and spoke again. “Thank you so much Bianca! I don’t know what I’d do without you!” There was a long drawn out pause between them. “And uh, when you get here, there’s something I need to tell you too. But only once you’re here. I’ll see you soon.”_

_Bianca had started to speak, words stammering to get out “W-wait what? Sienna what are you-”_

_The other end fell silent and left for the dread to become worry and frustration. Curious on what was so important and to be kept from the rest of the family._

That was then, over two days ago and she wishes she could go back; because currently she was in a bathroom stall with Sienna who vomited from all the stress she was under and is having to hold back her hair. This isn’t how she saw herself spending the first day back at her childhood home. Not with a puking bride and seeing first hand that, that bitchy wedding planner really had left them with nothing. Not so much as a business card to someone else who could help. 

Though she isn’t sure what’s worse: that the woman left them to hang themselves dry or that when she called the ex-planner didn’t feel a single ounce of guilt.

A choking cough caught her attention, a grimace passing over her face as she pats Sienna’s back. “I think you’re good now. You’re dry heaving now and going to make it worse.

“And what d-do you know?” Sienna replies in a slurring manner, her head resting on the toilet seat.

“Uh you forgetting that I went to med school to be, you know, a doctor, Sienna? I think I’m the most qualified to tell you.” She brushes aside her bangs and stares into the watery greens that were her sister’s. Her face red and blotchy, tears streaking her cheeks and baby hairs plastered to her forehead from the sweat. She looked like a hot, sick mess. A twang of sadness comes over her seeing Sienna be this way, no bride to be should be this upset before their wedding. 

Sienna places a shaky hand on her shoulder, squeezing it as Bianca shakes it off. “Ugh gross. You know you’ve been clutching the underside of a toilet for the past twenty-five minutes?” 

Sienna weakly laughs. “Love you too, Bee. I’m sorry this is what you had to come back home to… I know it's not what you expected.” 

She merely shrugs. “I’ve dealt with worse, had to pull out a whole row of quarters from some dudes ass two weeks ago. A cold feet wedding planner is the least of my problems,” she paused for a moment, “which don’t ask how that went.” 

Sienna nods without saying much and falls into a comfortable silence. It gives her a breather to replay the past few days in her head and where in the hell they’d even start to fix it. What is there to even do to fix it? Their family isn’t rich by any means to pay for most of what is lost. And there is too much pride riding on not telling Ines a whole wedding planning crew walked out on them, not when she’s hurrying herself with trying to revamp the hotel all by herself.

How the hell they’d pull themselves out of this mess, she wasn't too sure. But she’d be damned if she allows for the chance to salvage the situation to slip through her fingers. Sienna and Ines took her, her brothers and sister in when they had no one else. Ines raising five kids alone with four being orphans that she never had to take in yet still did, saving a wedding and her sanity is the least Bianca and her brother’s could do.

But even with all that, there’s still in the back of her mind the secret Sienna is withholding. She glances at her, trying to gage what a literal sickening ray of sunshine could be hiding. Whatever it was-or rather is- she’s praying to the gods and goddesses on the island it’s not going to throw this wedding into more chaos. Not when the wedding is so close.

Sighing, she picks herself up and extends out her hand. “Come on, let's head back to my room. You can rest up there for the evening. I’ll get Jonathan on the phone with some of his lawyer friends and sort this all out. Zachary I’m sure can work on your decor and whip something up.”

Sienna’s hand feels clammy against her own as she pulls her up and helps her to her feet. “I thought Zachary was a freelance artist not an interior decorator.” 

She shrugs and slings her arm around to support her up. “Hey he’s the artist of the family. The man can pick out various shades of white and blacks. I say he can handle it. Have some faith.” It’s easy to doge Sienna’s hand that swats at as they exit the bathroom, heading back for her bedroom.

_________

“He’s gotten better with arguing. I guess law school is really paying off for him?” Sienna wistfully says, laying sprawled out against the bed, listening through the open window of their brother Jonathan yelling over the phone.

“Jonathan has always been an excellent arguer. Now he just gets paid and studies on how to do it better. You should know this. We’ve been living with you since he was five,” Bianca counters, sitting at her window sill, taking in the rays of the summer sun and sea salt scent.

“Suppose that’s fair. Guess Glasgow has been treating him well. Hope something comes out of it.” Bianca glances over at that, a soft sigh leaving her as she sees the way Sienna picks nervously at her nails, wincing when their brother gets too loud. A small sigh brushes past her lips before she slips from her spot on the window sill and walks over to the bed, sitting down at the foot of it. The metal frame creaking under the new weight. 

“We’ll be fine, promise. I’m not letting this wedding be ruined.” She means it, truly, but the words are rather her own encouragement and thread holding together so she doesn’t lose it. 

She feels softer hands touch her shoulder and Bianca glances back. Met with a warm smile that melts away all the troubles of the world. That was always Sienna’s talent. 

And baking. She couldn’t forget baking.

“Thank you, Bianca, really. And I’m sorry you haven’t been given much of a chance to settle back into home,” Sienna gestures around to her hold room, “like your old room. Gonna be staying here for the next week or so. I don’t think Ines ever touched it after you moved out.” 

A polite laugh paints her lips. “Yeah. It really does seem like that,” Bianca glances around, taking in the mini paper lanterns hung above her window or the various placements of vinyl record player covers pinned against the wall, “I told her it was fine, really.”

“I think it was because she hoped you’d reconsider going to school in London and didn’t wanna accept her oldest was leaving home,” Sienna nudged her with her foot, “but she did touch your old vanity and cleaned it off despite me saying no. No offense, I just wanted to raid your makeup. But she asked about the photograph of the boy you have on it? I uhh… I lied when she asked about it.” 

Oh.

_Oh no._

Quickly, Bianca got up from the bed and walks over to the vanity. It’s white wood chipped in various places and some dust collects around the mirror, but nonetheless in good shape. Decade old stickers long now stuck to the wood and showing no signs of ever coming off. Tucked around the mirror or pinned to the wall are old photographs in various stages of conditions. Some perfect as the day they were taken, other’s more faded out by the sun that filters on through. 

But there’s one photo in particular she freezes over. One that has an ugly jagged tear right down the middle, hairline tears splintering off in other directions. The sun exposure having bleached some of the colors, giving it an aesthetically pleasing faded look. Everything in the photo she vividly remembers well; the ocean, the smell of the bougainvillea flowers that crept pass the ill-fated tear. Though the one thing she remembers all too well is the boy frozen in time in the photograph. Forever smiling at the camera, dark locks damp with water, white shirt unbuttoned and wet around the hem. 

And the eyes… the damn eyes still got her even after almost ten years of never seeing them after that fateful night.

_Oh what a foolish girl you were Bianca...so senseless and naive._

Out of the corner of her eye, she catches Sienna staring at her. Her baby sister knows better than to say anything, though something in her gut tells her she’s not looking to rehash old ill childhood love. She turns her attention away from the photograph and crosses her arms, looking directly at Sienna who timidly is sitting up in bed and clutching two letters in her hand, probably having kept them tucked away in her short pockets. 

“Promise you won't be mad?” Sienna implores her before a civil conversation can begin.

“Sienna you know I can’t make that sort of promise. What’s going on. What are those papers for? What’s on them?” There’s an unsettling tension that’s thick in the air, it almost makes her too scared to even breath. 

Taking in a deep breath, Sienna smooths out the letters and shifts around on the bed. Teeth biting in the inside of her cheek as Bianca holds her breath, bracing for what’s to come. “Look, remember how our mom always told me she didn’t know who my father was? And I just accepted it because well, I never had a reason to try and find him or care why he left my mom.. But with the wedding and hearing about Danny’s family coming up a-and getting to have you, Johnathan and Zachary all in the same place again!” She pauses to calm herself down before continuing on.

“Sure we aren’t biologically related but you’re still family and you got to at least know your parents, even if the situation that led to you living with us was… unfortunate. But I couldn’t last any longer, Bee. I have to know.” Though her sister sounds excited, she herself is anything but. Especially with the comment made about her and her brothers coming to live with them. 

Sienna continued on, mustering up the courage to not fall under intense eye contact Bianca makes a point to have. “And I guess the longer I thought about it, I knew what I wanted. I had to know, Bianca. So to make a long story short…”

There’s a long, deafening pause of silence as Sienna looks at her dead in the eyes.

“I invited my fathers to my wedding. And they’re coming here in two days.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bianca is confronted with a stranger from the past

“Bianca? Hello? Say something!” 

What even was there to say? What *could she even say? She’s mulling over the words, a weight settling into her chest that sways between anger and frustration. Sienna carefully sitting on edge, the letters still in hand as Bianca flickers her eyes between the pages and her sister. Words forming on the tip of her tongue ready to be said.

“What the hell are you thinking?!” She says on impulse. The words are much harsher and bitter than intended. “You invited two random strangers who you never met?! Does Ines know, Sienna, did you even tell her?”

When Sienna casts her eyes away, Bianca groans in annoyance and runs her fingers through her raven locks. “Seriously Sienna, you didn’t tell her? What the hell is wrong with you?!”

_Oh shit._

Bianca regrets the words the moment they leave her. Not only now does the rising anger weigh on her, an overwhelming sense of dread and panic washes over as well. Tears come to Sienna’s eyes first before a sniffle follows after. She uses the palm of her hand to wipe away the tears as bleary eyes glance in her direction. It’s like seeing a crying puppy dog that's been kicked.

“I thought you’d understand, Bianca…” Sienna chokes out, voice barely above a whisper. “Kimberly would have.”

The name causes her to feel as though all the air has left her lungs and to stop breathing for a fleeting moment. Her throat tightening, a cold sweat tickling the back of her neck. Having the name be thrown in her face, it’s deserved. It’s as much of a low ball to her as it was telling her baby sister off the way she had.

She just wishes it hadn’t reminded her of what could have been. What life could have, should have, looked like if Kimberly hadn't…

“That’s not fair,” Bianca spits out with force, holding the illogical affronted tone to her voice, “you know her and I weren’t alike.” 

Huffing, Sienna gets up from the bed, arms folding tightly across her chest as she scowls, though it breaks between her hurt and sadden expressions. “Than it's not fair for you to sit there and berate me like that! I don’t need your approval but I need you to understand!”

And she does… to some degree. But she’ll never fully understand what it's like not knowing a parent. She wants to argue, to debate and be at this conversation from now till dusk. They’d go nowhere with it except more tears and pent up emotions. The wedding being in shambles with only a week or so to fix it and replace what they can, guests coming in at random times and now two men Sienna has never met and Ines long forgotten about. Outside of that panicked phone call days ago, this has to be the worst day of her week. 

And it wasn’t even Friday yet.

Deafening silence falls over them, nothing but the sounds of the seabirds flocking about outside to minor sniffles coming from Sienna. She rubs the back of her neck, averting her gaze away from her young sister and staring at the door. Words won't fix the situation, only time will.

“We’ll talk later. I’ll see if Zachary can come up and talk to you,” Bianca mutters. If she couldn’t understand, then maybe at least her brother could. “I’ll see you later at dinner.”

Without another word, Bianca stepped out and shut the door behind her, walking down the hallway and stairwell all the while feeling sluggish and slow. The blinding sun greeting her and the warm humid air fresh on her skin. Hotel staff bustling about, a few guests still around gathering luggage and departing to leave. And with no sign of her family, it’s all the more reason to get away.

She makes for the one place that’s brought her comfort as a teen and child: the beach and her boat. It was still here, anchored down at the beach of the hotel, Ines having cared for it all these years. When she’d gotten here days ago, seeing that boat brought about a sense of calm in the storm she’d been swept in.

Now she needed it more than ever, given that forty-eight hours proved things can go from bad to worse.

She weaves through workers and others like Danny’s family who greet her with relaxed warm smiles as she heads for the stairwell to the beach. Her mind bouncing from thought to thought. It’s overwhelming, a different kind of overwhelming. This was not thinking about what patient needed which medication or who to call for surgery. Oh no, family problems were-are- not on the same level as work. And she can only hope they’re not going to get any worse, because frankly she’s not sure if she can keep up.

“Bianca! There you are!”

_You’ve got to be kidding me._

She comes to a hard halt, steadying herself on the wooden railing of the rickety stairs, sighing as she turns herself around and sees Ines excusing herself through everyone. Her curly hair bouncing in its bun, her summer dress flowing in the gentle sea breeze. Though she’s been looking stressed out since she got here, this is probably the most calm Bianca has seen her.

Not that it was going to last much longer.

“Hi Ines,” she smiles trying to hide her own worries as she extends out an arm and embraces Ines with a hug, “how's it going? Everything alright?”

“Oh as good as they can be,” Ines happily tells her, parting from the hug and placing a hand on her shoulder, “hotel falling apart and a wedding to plan but hey what can you do? It will all be fine and over with soon. Glad I caught you though! Can’t seem to find your brothers anywhere. Must have missed them while I was in the goat house.”

“I’m sure they’re probably busy up at the chapel. I can go get them if you want or-”

Ines brushes off her comment with a shake of her head. “No need. I actually have a task I need you to do since none of your siblings are around to do it. We have a guest coming in the same time your aunt Theresa and uncle Naveen are. Only problem is, they missed the boat your aunt and uncle are on and has to come in through the other docks that are past the orchards. Be a dear and go pick them up?”

Seeing some stranger was the last thing Bianca wanted to do. “I suppose… but are you sure we’re going to have enough space, Ines? Jonathan and Zachary are sharing a room, Sienna gives hers up and-” she stops herself short, a short breath leaving her and a groan emitting from her. “They’re staying in my room aren’t they?”

Smiling, Ines gives her an affectionate pat on the cheek. “Smart girl. Now look it’s not ideal, and you’re the oldest I know, but you gotta tough it out. It’s one of Danny’s old friends from work and personally knows your uncle. I’m sure they can’t be that terrible.”

“So then where am I staying at? The goat house?”

Ines gaps, offended by such a comment. “Heavens no! You’re my daughter, not an animal! You’re going to just have to share since most of the other rooms are taken. I’ll set up the cot while you’re gone.”

“At this point I _wish_ I was sleeping in the goat house instead.” 

Bianca wants to argue with her (she’s got a habit of wanting to always argue). Argue why she hadn’t been told days ago that her childhood bedroom, which until recently hasn't been touched in years, was going to be having a stranger sleep in there with her. Though it’s hypocritical of her to be judging Ines for not saying something, none of them had yet told her of the skipped out wedding planner or her apparent ex lovers who would be showing up unannounced in a matter of days.

They certainly weren’t a family who communicated a whole lot, that’s for damn sure.

Dropping her hand from her shoulder, Ines sighs and clasps her hands together, giving Bianca a pleading look. “I know it’s not ideal sweetie, believe me, but I’m trying to make this go well for Sienna and run the hotel too which is frankly falling apart. So please, sweetheart, can you make do?”

How the hell is she supposed to say no? Deny the woman who raised and took her in when she had no one else?

She lays her hands over Ines’s and leans in to plant a quick kiss on her cheek. “Course I can. I’m sorry I guess I’m just a little frazzled is all. And don’t even worry about setting up my room, I can do it when I get back. You go and focus on whatever it is you need to do.”

“Oh Bianca thank you!” Ines threw her arms around her in a near bone crushing hug, drawing away as she smiles brightly, some of the stress fading from her face. “I’ll see you later, feel free to take the jeep,” she stops and glances over Bianca’s shoulders, “oh it looks like your aunt and uncles boat is coming in! Take care, call if needed!”

Before Bianca can get a word in, Ines is gone and hurrying down the stairs. She lets go of a breath she hadn’t realized she held in, tension leaving her shoulders briefly. Guilt weighing heavy on her mind and gnawing at her stomach. They should tell their Mom everything, just come clean, but coming clean felt too difficult. As if it would hinder rather than help given how Ines is. 

_Later… promise I’ll tell her later._

Throwing a quick glance to her bedroom window across the way, knowing Sienna is still up there, she shakes her head and heads for the front gate. Pushing aside everything for now and focusing on making sure things don’t go from worse to terrible.

________________________________ 

The drive is exactly as she remembers it: smelling of peaches, nectarines and kicking up too much dust along the orchard roads. Past them, the scenery gives away to the beautiful sight of hillsides dotted with villas and slivers of glistening ocean water that lap down at the island's edges. The summer sun high above her without a cloud to kiss the sky, small gusts of wind whipping her raven locks around as she rounds corners and descends her drive down towards the smaller port.

The jeep bounces along as its engine comes to a low purr, easing her way through the port and coming to park it by the start of a stone dock that juts out to sea. A few shops lay about, the smell of sea salt strong and mingling with the blossoms from the local flora blooming and cascading down walls or erupting from the ground. A few locals greet her as they bring in new catches of fish or carry in fruit crates that's been shipped in. A boat, decent in size, pulling in lazily to the harbor and awaiting dockhands.

Bianca shuts the car off and slips from the driver's seat, smoothing out her tank top and making her way towards the end of the dock, the boat pulling in closer. A sense of anxiety flaring up in her and giving her a shiver despite the warmth on her skin.

_Calm yourself. It’s only a stranger you’re being forced to share a room with for the next week or so, you haven’t met them yet. What’s the worst they’ll do? Murder you?_

She grimaces, finding the thought not helping in the slightest.

Shaking herself of her thoughts, she slows her walk down as the boat approaches and the dockhands help pull it in. From afar, not many people on it, most locals who live around here from the looks of it. They trickle out and depart, carrying their wares in their arms or linked arm in arm with friends, but no one looking to be out of place as they pass her by.

And then, she sees _him_.

He walks like a Greek god, a god that's part of a beautiful tragedy, one for the history books and myths. Shoulders broad, dark hair messy but in a way that makes him appear devilishly handsome. A white shirt taunt against strong arm muscles. Seeing him makes her stop in her tracks, her heartbeat catching in her throat and feel as though she’s choking.

The man glances around with some unease, like a lost puppy. He shifts the bag on his back and eyes narrowing as he’s trying to make sense of the new unknown area he’s found himself in. His stare passes over her as though she’s nothing, but double takes on her again, causing him to nearly trip up on his feet, halting him in place.

 _It can’t be_. There’s no chance in hell this is him. 

“You… I know you… you _can’t_ be her.” His voice low, shaken up like he’s spotted an old ghost from a past come back to haunt him.

Forcibly, she takes a step forward and peers closer, only a few feet separating them. Her eyes work him from bottom to top and lock onto his own, a familiar shade of blue that she’s never forgotten and used to see in her dreams.

No one forgets angel eyes like his. No one.

He swallows hard, straightening out and body tensing up, stare never breaking. Tone short and clear, voice deeper than she recalls. “Bianca.”

Clenching her jaw, she crosses her arms tightly and lifts her head a little higher to hold a stronger gaze. “Welcome back. Long time no see, Ethan.”


End file.
